The Royal Marines in the High North: Shaping the maritime battle
Think tank: RUSI
Author(s): Dr Sidharth Kaushal; Commander Edward Black
July 9, 2026
This report from UK think tank RUSI examines how UK and NATO maritime strategy is reshaping the way the Royal Marines contribute to countering Russian threats.
The Royal Marines are reshaping UK maritime strategy in the High North, countering Russian threats and advancing NATO objectives for regional security. This entails a close conceptual integration between the employment of the marines and maritime lines of effort. Overview
This paper examines how evolving UK and NATO maritime strategy in the High North is reshaping the way the Royal Marines contribute to countering Russian threats and securing regional stability. It analyses the evolving operational role of the UK Commando Force, highlighting the need for specialised agile units to address modern security challenges in the Arctic and Norwegian Sea.
Key Recommendations:
The paper supports the reorganisation of the Royal Marines into three specialised components: a forward-deployed special operations task group, a specialised advanced amphibious force and a maritime operations group.
The paper also recommends:
Prioritising the rapid degradation of Russian air and missile defences on the Kola Peninsula to enable Allied naval operations;
Securing and utilising key offshore islands to support hybrid fleet operations and deny Russia critical terrain;
Enhancing maritime special operations to constrain Russian auxiliary activities and protect Allied situational awareness.
